The Fishery Patrol Ship

IN a previous example we have seen something of the characteristics of the normal trawler. Such a vessel has bluff bows, high sheer and, for reasons of trim, deep draught aft compared with that forward. Above is a vessel which has many of the attributes of the trawler, but a much greater speed and a line of keel almost parallel to that of the deck. Outwardly she resembles a trawler. This resemblance is designed so that she may, without revealing her identity, approach fishermen breaking regulations. Once her identity is revealed, however, her speed is more than enough to ensure her catching the law-breaker.

She was built on the Clyde in 1936 and has a length of 130 feet. She has a short topgallant forecastle, the usual well-deck forward, with foremast having a light wireless mast abaft the gallows and an electric trawl winch. Abaft this is a normal trawler bridge, with charthouse, a funnel taking exhaust from two main engines and two tall ventilators which give the ship an appearance of normal trawler type. Farther aft is the engine casing, with store and galley in the usual place, surmounted by the mainmast having a light wireless pole on its top.

The mainmast has two derricks, one capable of serving the main engine skylight, and the other capable of handling the boat in the usual trawler position aft. In addition to this, there is also a 24-ft motor patrol boat carried where normally the fish ponds would be in the standard trawler and handled by a derrick on the foremast. All these special characteristics are as inconspicuous as possible.

Propulsion is by two 750 brake horse-power Armstrong-Sulzer eight-cylinder, four-cycle airless injection diesels delivering their power at 700 revolutions a minute and each driving its propeller through a mechanical reverse gear of oil-operated type. The draught is about 7 ft 6 in.